The origin of quasi-periodicities during circular ribbon flares

¹ Institute of Solar-Terrestrial Physics SB RAS, Lermontova st. 126A, 664033 Irkutsk, Russia
e-mail: lkk@iszf.irk.ru
² Central (Pulkovo) Astronomical Observatory of the RAS, 196140 Saint Petersburg, Russia
e-mail: elenku@bk.ru
³ Yunnan Observatories, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, PR China
e-mail: xuzhi@ynao.ac.cn
⁴ School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK
⁵ Department of Space and Climate Physics, University College, London RH5 6NT, UK
⁶ Centre for Fusion, Space and Astrophysics, Department of Physics, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, UK

Received: 25 July 2018
Accepted: 4 August 2020

Abstract

Context. Solar flares with a fan-spine magnetic topology are able to form circular ribbons. A previous study based on Hα line observations of the solar flares on 5 March 2014 revealed a uniform and continuous rotation of the magnetic fan-spine. A preliminary analysis of the flare time profiles revealed quasi-periodic pulsations (QPPs) with similar properties in hard X-rays, Hα, and microwaves.

Aims. In this work, we address the question of whether the observed periodicities are related to periodic acceleration of electrons or plasma heating.

Methods. We analysed QPPs in the Hα emission from the centre of the fan (inner ribbon R1), a circular ribbon (R2), a remote source (R3), and an elongated ribbon (R4) located between R2 and R3. We used methods of correlation, Fourier, wavelet, and empirical mode decomposition. We compared the QPPs in Hα emission with those in microwave and X-ray emission.

Results. We found multi-wavelength QPPs with periods around 150 s, 125 s, and 190 s. The 150 s period is seen to co-exist in Hα, hard X-rays, and microwave emissions, which allowed us to connect it with flare kernels R1 and R2. These kernels spatially coincide with the site of the primary flare energy release. The 125 s period is found in the Hα emission of the elongated ribbon R4 and the microwave emission at 5.7 GHz during the decay phase. The 190 s period is present in the emission during all flare phases in the Hα emission of both the remote source, R3, and the elongated ribbon, R4, in soft X-rays and in microwaves at 4–8 GHz.

Conclusions. We connected the dominant 150 s QPPs with the slipping reconnection mechanism occurring in the fan. We suggested that the period of 125 s in the elongated ribbon can be caused by a kink oscillation of the outer spine, connecting the primary reconnection site with the remote footpoint. The period of 190 s is associated with the three-minute sunspot oscillations.